Ingredients : Balloons, rubber cement, and a few feet of
fishing line.

Step 1. Design it on paper. If its going to be
"inlaid" or a combination of "inlaid" and "overlaid" be
careful in the designing because the "inlaid" portion will dictate the overall
size and proportions. In the beginning you may find it easier to deal with
"overlaid" designs on simple backgrounds. The picture above is a good example of
this style. Design the inlaid portion on 1/4" graph paper (1 square = 1 balloon). Warning:
The tendency of these things is to grow and grow. Make sure it will fit in your intended
location. Practice with a small chunk and measure the distance covered per balloon.
Determine how many balloons you will need.

Step 2. Inflate the balloons almost to the bursting
point and allow them to relax to a point of about 1/2 full. For 11 inch balloons this
would be no bigger than about 8". You will find that they will be very durable after
this process. Any size balloon can be used to build the wall depending on your needs.
Obviously you can get much greater detail out of 5" balloons. Warning: Sizing
must be perfect. Use a Holey box.... auto inflators are not needed.

Step 3. Cut some strips of cardboard about 10"
long and 1 1/2" inches wide. Cut with the grain of the cardboard.

Step 5. Position yourself on the floor next to a
wall so you can use the wall and floor to help you get started in a strait line.

Step 6. Use the cardboard strips to apply rubber
cement to the side of a balloon in a more or less circular pattern just slightly bigger
than a silver dollar. A small amount is plenty, evenly distributed so that drying is rapid
and uniform. The balloon is sitting on the floor with the stem pointing up. The cement is
halfway down the side. You then press another balloon up against it (cement is not needed
on the second balloon) in the same position using the wall to get started in a strait
line. After you have a line of 10 or so, begin the second line. ( if you are making
a long wall, build it in manageable and transportable chunks, and put it together close to
the installation point) The second line is critical. Attach the first balloon of the
second line to the balloon above it, and then attach the second balloon to the one above
it. With your patch of cement on one balloon or the other, position the 2 new balloons so
that the "diamond" formed in the gap is equal on all sides and stick them
together. This may sound complicated but with just a little practice, youll be
amazed at how fast it can go.

Step 7. Put on the overlay items, (usually made in a
similar fashion out of 5" balloons) sometimes its best to affix the overlays as
you assemble the "chunks". If you have someone with very small feet they can
walk in the "diamonds". Although you may break a few balloons along the way,
(they are easily replaced) you will find that these walls are surprisingly strong and
durable. We recommend prefabing the chunks and overlay pieces no more than 4 days in
advance and keeping them cool and in the dark. Youll find that it is not at all
expensive to rent an enclosed truck to haul the "stuff" to the venue.

Step 8. Rig it. This specific type of glued wall is
best for hanging next to a wall. With minor changes they can be hung in the middle of a
room and made to look good from either side. You will need one tying point for about every
6 of wall. These tying points need to be positioned so as to allow the wall to hang
flat and even. Key to this is to have the outside rigging points just slightly
(6"-12") beyond the limits of the balloon wall itself. Run fishing line (25 - 30
lb. test is fine) through your rigging points and back down to the top portion of the
balloon wall. Tie the wall (using the stems on the top or second line) to the lift lines.
Slowly take up the slack on the lift lines as a couple of people gently lift the wall.
(This process takes several people. We have always grabbed a few volunteers from nearby.)
It only takes a few seconds to get the wall into position and level. Tie it off. Simply
cutting the lift lines makes it easy to dispose of after the event. This is easily done by
the venue staff and can help avoid you returning to break down the deco.

ALSO : You can fill the "diamonds" with
glued 5" and achieve a nice effect.

Try to avoid places where the wall will be
"backlit".

The photos below are of walls made with the "glued in
the crotches" technique. It is a good way to have less "showthru" spaces.
It is also less flexible and therefore more fragile.

I hope these instructions are useful to you. This is my first attempt at
writing out this sort of thing. Please e-mail me with your comments and suggestions. Let
me know if you need clarification on any step. I expect you may soon improve on these
techniques.

Mitch wrote:

My question on those instructions, is: What you're saying in effect, is

a) build it backwards Line up against a wall put a balloon against the
wall, rubber cement it on side, attach another balloon next to it

continue until at end of section build 2nd row, cementing EXACTLY in
same places continue until at desired height

Then decorate it on top with the names..??

Response: I think youve got it. It
will take some practice to get the right amount of rubber cement for quick drying. If you
are doing an inlay, remember that you are building it "reversed" since the stems
are up. What you will see as you build it is kind of a "mirror image". After you
design it on graph paper, Turn the graph paper over and look at it from the back side as
you build it when you turn the wall over, the letters will be correct. Make a
small one for practice .it gets easy soon. Watch to see that the diamonds are equal
on all sides and it will look great.